Kats Wine and Spirits now has a new way to engage with customers: the social-media campaign, Kats Wine Tasting Team. Photo courtsy Kats Wine and Spirits

​For those who like wine, Kats Wine and Spirits has another way to share that love: its social-media campaign, Kats Wine Tasting Team.

In the campaign, Kats buys an initial set of wines based on professional critics' reviews and price.

Then, the staff does their own taste-test and orders wine that they think their customers will like.

The customers buy the wines, taste them and let the business know what they think.

Tasho Katsaboulas, who operates Kats with his brother, Kanella, says it's a positive feedback loop that leads to more wines in inventory that customers in the Jackson area like. For the campaign, customers can use the hashtag #tastingteam.

"It's fun. We taste, and the consumer tastes," he says. "The feedback is crucial for us in confirming that consumers feel the way we hope they will about the wines we are vetting."

"We want to engage our customers," Katsaboulas says. "We want our customers to tell us if they liked the wine, or if they didn't, if it's good with chicken or not." He says customers will receive a discount on the next wine no matter the response.

Kats Wine and Spirits has been a Jackson institution for 50 years, ever since the repeal of prohibition in Mississippi in 1966. Originally opened on Capitol Street by "Kats" Katsaboulas, Tasho and Kanello's father, the store moved to the current location on Fortification Street in the 1970s, and the Katsaboulas brothers eventually took over. They pride themselves on making good-tasting wines available for a relatively low price (around $20).

"I have a Aquinas Pinot Noir that is the best value that I have seen in 17 years of buying," Tasho says.

Kats Wine and Spirits (921 E. Fortification St., 601.983.5287) is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information, visit katswine.com or find the business on Facebook and Instagram.